Truck loader



Oct. 12, 1948. G. wHlTEHuRsT ETAL 2,451,138

TRUCK LOADER Filed OC. 7, 1945| 2 Sheets-Sheet l Oct 12, 1948- G. wHlTEHURsT ET Al.

TRUCK LOADER Filed oct.

Patented Oct. 12, 1948 TRUCK LOADER Graham Whitehurst, Glendale, Vernon E. Slater; Los Angeles, George F. Bruno, Montebello, and Joseph M. Hubbard and Gustave P. Krawitz,

Los Angeles,V Calif.

Application -ctober 7, 19%, Serial No. 761,742?

Gur. invention relates to truck loaders andzrnore specifically. to adevice which can be lowered into contact with theground, material loaded thereon andthe device then raisedj into a parallel posi tion in. relation to the bed of Vthe truck.

Anv object of our. invention isto provide al truck loading mechanism which has a loading platforrn4 which is at all. times4 substantially parallel to the ground both in its loweredrposition and in its raised-position.

Another object of our invention is to provide a. truck loader which will form an extension parallel to and at the same height as the floor of the truck Vand'tlius actas anl extension. of that floor.

Another object of our invention is to provide a truck loader which has a loading platform which Will come in Contact with the ground and onto which merchandise can be moved without lifting.

Another object of our invention is to provide a loading mechanism that will support itself by contact with the ground and which can be elk,n vated to permit operation of the truck.

Another object of our inventionv is to provide a truck loading mechanism which can be adapted to any truck body.

Other objects and advantages of our invention will be; apparent from the: following description of "the preferred. embodiments thereof.

In the drawings Figure; 1 is a` top. planview'with the truck bed and loader bedremoved...

Figure 2 is. a cross section taken on the line 2 2 of Figure 1 showing the truck mechanism in its loading position.

Figure 3 is a cross section. taken on the line 2 2 of Figure 1 with the truck loading mechanism in its traveling position.

Figure 4 is a cross section 4 4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a cross section 5 5 of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a cross section 6 6 of Figure 2.

Figure 7 is a cross section 'I 'I of Figure 2.

Figure 8 is a cross section 8 8 of Figure 2.

A truck loader constructed in accordance with the preferred form of our invention is attached to the bed I of a truck by means of channel supports 2, which support a pair of spaced channel members 3 horizontally under the truck bed I.

Spaced guides 5 formed from the channel taken on the line taken on the line taken on the line taken on the line taken on the line 3 Claims. (Cl. 214 85) members are pivotally suspended by the Vpinions il to the channels 3. The guides 5 in; their ex-` tended position have an extension 61. which `inits normal position is` parallel with. the; channel members 3. From the extensions Stheguides' run in an angular slopetowardsthe;ground, as shown at 1. i

Attached to the ends of the channel. members 3 arespaced guides 5 which have extensions Ir parallel to the channel rrren'lbersf3V and theree inainder of the guides '9 slope toward'the ground substantially parallel to the main portionxofxthe guides 5. rEhe guides 5 and. Brare. substantiall para'llelthroughout theirlengths..

Attached to the lower'ends of` theguides: 9 are telescopicextensions II'. Plates I2.. bolted to the guides 9 form a rest upon which the extensions I I slide and bolts I3 passing through holes :inthe extensions II andv sliding inthe slots: ILT-:permit the extensions IInt-o be movediiny relation to the guides 9. so. thatthey may. beitelescopically: short'- ened. This permits., the 1 guides. 9 when. elongated by the extensions` I I, to strike the ground during the loading operationrandA toreducethe tendency ofourfloader to tipthetruck; The extensions IzI and the guides 9 comprise one: sloping surface...

Supporting members I5 carry at their outer ends a loading platform` IE. Thesesupportsz-IS have guide rollers I1 journaled at one end which are adapted to roll on-thezguides 5. Journaledjion the support I5 adjacent' the inner' end of.` the' loading platform IB- are guide-rollers I8 which are adapted to roll onV theupper surfaces :of thefguides 9 and extensions II.

Attached tothe support I5isza ,pulley |91 connected by a cable BIJ-to a hoisting drum .22;. which is actuated by a prime-mover'ziiithroughA a reduc:-A tion` gear 2 I. Actuationf off the hoisting .drum 22 draws in the cable pulling the supports I5 on the guide rollers Il and I8 up over the guides 5 and 9. As these guides are substantially parallel the loading platform I6 will be held in a substantially horizontal position to the ground as the rollers Il and I8 roll up the spaced guides 5 and 9.

The guides 5 are maintained in substantially parallel spaced relation to the channels 9 by links 23 and 24 pivotally connected together at 21 and pivoted to the channels 3 vat 25 and to the guides 5 at 26. Attached to the pivots 21 are link members 28 which are pivotally connected at 29 to links 30 p-ivoted at 3I to brackets 32 attached to the guides 9. Also attached to the pivots 29 are trigger members 33 which are struck by pins 34 on the extensions II. The extensions II, to ald in supporting the load on the loading platform I6, contact the ground, and to retract the extensions II cables 35 are attached to the extensions II at 36 and run over guide pulleys 31, 38 and 36 to drums 46 aflixed to a shaft 4I extending between the frames 4Z of the truck proper. On the ends of the shaft 4I there are keyed means 43 upon which a crank can be attached to rotate the drums 40 and telescope the extensions II upwardly on the guides 9L When the extensions II are thus raised the pins 34 strike the trigger members 33, causing them to force the links 28 to .bend the straight arms formed by the links 23 and 24, thus lifting the guides as they are attached by the pinions 4. This permits the guides 5 to be made longer and to nearly strike the ground. By `being pivoted at 4 when the loader is in its uppermost position,

the guides 5 are pivoted upwardly and the clearance between their lower ends increased to permit use of the truck. The guide rollers i 'I and lI8 are retracted clear up to the ends of the guides V5 and 9 and as they pass on to the extensions I6 and 6 they level the loading platform I6 into an exactly horizontal position with relation to the truck body I.

, W'hen the supports I5 are at their lowest position the loading platform I6 is in contact with the ground and substantially parallel therewith. However the platform I6 and supports I5 do have athickness and we therefore attach a hinged endgate 44 to the cross channels G6 to permit easy loading.V

Having fully described our invention, it is to be understood that We do not wish to be limited to the details herein set forth, but our invention is of the full scope of the appended claims.

We claim: f

1. In a truck loader, channel members adapted to be attached to a truck bed, a pair of spaced guides attached to said members, and sloping at an angle thereto, a second pair of spaced guides attached to said members and parallel to the first pair, a loading platform, means attached to said platform, and mobile on said guides to permit said platform to be raised or lowered in a horizontal position, said second pair of guides having ltelescopic ends thereon to permit contact with the ground when in loading position and retractable when said truck is traveling, said first pair of guides pivotally attached vto said channel members, and link means carried by said second pair of guides to support said first mentioned guides and to lift said rst guides when said platform is raised.

2.. In a truck loader, channelmembers adapted to be attached to a truck bed, a pair of spaced guides attached to said members, and sloping at an angle thereto, a, second pair of spaced guides attached to said members and parallel to the rst pair, a loading platform, rollers connected with said loading platform adapted to roll upon one pair of said guides, and supporting members atr-k tached to said platform carrying rollers to roll upon the second pair of said `guides to permit said platform to be raised or lowered in a horizontal position, said second pair of guides having telescopic ends thereon to permit contact with the ground when in loading position and retractable when said truck is traveling, said first pair of guides pivotally attached to said channel members, and link means carried by said second pair of guides to support said rst mentioned guides and to lift said rst guides when said platform is raised. Y

3. In a truck loader, channel members adapted to be attached to a truck bed, a pair of spaced guides attached to said members, and sloping at an angle thereto, a second pair of spaced guides attached to said members and parallel to the first pair, a loading platform, means attached to said platform, and mobile on said guides to permit said platform to be raised or lowered in a horizontal position, said second pair of guides having telescopic ends thereon to permit contact with the ground when in loading position and retractable when said truckis traveling, said rst pair of guides pivotally attached to said channel members, and link means carried b-y said second pair of guides to support said first mentioned guides and to lift said rst guides when said platform is raised, said guides having their upper ends substantially horizontal whereby when said platform is raised to its uppermost position the load of said platform rests upon the horizontal portions of said guides. Y

i GRAHAM WHITEHURST.

VERNON E. SLATER. GEORGE F. BRUNO. JOSEPH M. HUBBARD. GUSTAVE P. KRAWITZ.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file oi this patent: v

UNrTED STATES Plrrirrrrsk 16,591 Australia 1 4.... 1928 

